Kiwi visitors in Bangkok have yet to get in touch with New Zealand authorities or fly out early despite escalating violence in the Thai capital and travel warnings. Meanwhile, few here are cancelling their flights into the city, says one travel agency.
"Red-shirt" protests besieging Bangkok since March spiralled into
violence last week after a general supporting the protesters was shot.
More than 30 civilians have been killed in four days. One New Zealander has been reported as wounded in a clash between government troops and protestors.
Prime Minister John Key told reporters this afternoon that the New Zealander has been located by the New Zealand Embassy.
"He is in hospital, in the trouble zone, so embassy staff are not able to get to him at this present time," he said.
The embassy has been closed since Saturday, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had set up an emergency number for New Zealanders to call.
The Ministry said it had not yet received any calls to the emergency number.
The Ministry is advising against all non-essential travel to the area.
Some travellers to Thailand have changed their plans to avoid Bangkok or to stay in hotels far from the protests, but most are continuing undeterred, said House of Travel retail director Brent Thomas.
Less than one in 10 were cancelling their trips and none had yet chosen to fly out early, Mr Thomas said.
"Most people who have gone generally are aware of the dangers ... but circumstances like this can change and we are being mindful for our customers," he said.
Some travellers to Phukett have decided to bypass the capital. If protests continued for a few more weeks, families planning trips during the school holidays in early July could have second thoughts, Mr Thomas said.
Almost 400 New Zealanders are registered as being in Thailand.
Among the ex-pat community in Bangkok, international schools have been closed and some people have had to move temporarily from their homes.
One woman said that aside from the dangers, traffic disruptions had clogged up the city.
Embassy staff in Bangkok have said that they had seen smoke from barricades and heard gunfire and explosions.
